Articles

In the Lab - Circus, Circus

Posted by Michael Iurato on Friday, October 14, 2016 - 14:30

The MMA world has grown in both popularity and in talent at epic proportions, but along with that comes money, and money… well, can cause a circus. When I was growing up watching the fight game the contract negotiations were much more simplistic and the fighters were grateful for the opportunity to just showcase and earn. The term “Prize Fighter” meant something else back then...

I have gotten requests about GPP and cash games so I would like to answer this real quick before I start. Remember that unlike other sports, there are not many athletes to choose from and the scoring is about finishes. At the end of the day, in cash games you need to think less about the percentage of the field and more about the locks or safer plays. In GPP, it's the lesser owned sleeper ponies that will allow you to leap frog the pond.

Both men have 9 finishes in 11 fights. Very rare and impressive in the 125lbs. Division. The difference in these stats is that Moreno fought all cans. His first real test he was stopped, so he still has to prove his worth to me before I become impressed with that stat on his end. Smolka, on the other hand, has looked better and better every fight. He is very rangy and has a very solid ground game. Moreno is also well versed on the ground, but taken on 2 weeks notice and just the overall better resume, will prove too much for Moreno...

Ok guys DraftKings launched the new scoring system for MMA today and there were some major ones. It without a doubt changes the thought process for me when I’m slating my team. historically, we look for finishes in this game and that really has not changed. That will always be the staple here. Quick finishes, any which way they come, will always be your greatest ally, but now instead of veering the wheel away from the wrestlers and grapplers, we may want to change the game planning a bit. This will in fact play into the scenario “Styles makes Fights” like never before.

In football, it makes perfect sense to stack a QB and a WR in DFS because the risk to reward is very high. You can have a QB that goes balls to the wall and your WR on the other end of it, allowing you to benefit greatly, but MMA DFS is quite different and here is why. When you are choosing your fighters, your thought process SHOULD be to find 5 fighters that have a good chance of getting a finish before the horn. The scoring system is geared towards finishing bonuses. You want active fighters that have the ability for takedowns, striking volume, and advancing as well. But, I look at these variables as the bonus points, not the other way around. The real points come from what DraftKings look at as “Bonus points,” but these are the points that will in fact make and break your ability to earn...

This card caught some of its steam with a very sensitive situation regarding the weight cutting controversy of Cris Cyborg. I have a lot to say about this in my breakdown of this fight, so I advise you to really absorb what you read. It will help you in the long run, and make you understand why picks are made in certain situations and what to look for. There are certain things in sports that go beyond fantasy and beyond our viewing pleasure. There is a business that at times can be as dirty as an escort in Costa Rica, and that can’t be ignored. I am not one to always glamourize the sport that I love, without knowing the dark side and brutal truth that lies behind the curtains...

Maximo has very solid wrestling and likes to bang but there is something missing in his game. He put those holes on display against Luke Sanders, which was a brutal showing on his part. The thing about Blanco is he’s either on or he’s off. There is no in between with him. His record is a bit spotty at 4-4 in the UFC, and that is surely an indictment on him either wanting to show up or not. Skelly, on the flip side of that coin, is extremely calculated and with 17 fights under him, he sported an extremely under-rated 4 fight win streak last year that was over looked by many...

Yancy has a very unique stand up with pretty well graded power. At 12-4 he has 6 finishes by way of KO and another 3 by submission. What does this tell us? He knows how to finish. The problem here is his striking defense is very pedestrian and his wrestling is not up to par. Lucky for him Sean Spencer at 12-5 is only 17% in both KO and Submissions. Spencer does support some very quick hands, but has no pepper behind them and his finishing IQ has made me raise an eyebrow. Look for Yancy to soften...

Legit or side-show? Anyway you look at it, CM Punk is going to draw eyes to the event. Here is a guy who was one of the top WWE performers and left it all behind to follow a dream of one day fighting inside the Octagon. Now you may not agree with what he is doing but respect should be granted for his efforts and mettle to do such a thing. This is not a publicity stunt on his part, considering Vince McMahon is bankrolling a lawsuit against Punk for something unknown—so by all means, this is no cross promotion. It will, however...

The BJJ Purple Belt and Judo Black Belt is returning after an 11 month layoff. Nick Hein is on a 2-fight win streak, both by way of Decision. The southpaw started his career finishing his opponents before the final bell, but as of late he seems to be happy coasting to the finish line and leaving it in the hands of the judges. Hein isn’t one to back down from a good dirty scrap but he operates best when he is setting up his Judo to take his opponent to the mat. When on his feet he is effective in short range, but he seems to throw short punches. This will only benefit him while fighting close range, or what I like to call “in a closet.” A fighter with a fair reach advantage can benefit from this by clearing distance to pick him apart with jabs and keep his Judo at bay...